Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-11-03
A MAN WITH A MEMORY.
CAPTURE OF A SUPPOSED SPY IN
SIDE THE FEDERAL LINES.
The Suspect Answers Every Question "as
Straight as String''-Algebra in a
Boot-Repeating the Roll-Entrapped
at Last.

Just before Sherman advanced on his
Georgia campaign man supposed to be a
| Confederate spy was one day arrested in a
Union camp. He was in Federal uniform,
but his look and language were unmistakably
southern. He claimed to belong to a regi-
ment in another camp about two miles away,
ana he was sent to the guard house until his
assertion could be verified or disproved. 1t
was in the camp Of Wisconsin regiment
that the spy, who gave his name as George
Swift, was arrested. He had come there os-
tensibly to visit friends, but some Of the boys
had seen him slyly taking notes, and he had
asked such questions as no private Federal
soldier would have any use for. The boys
had no sooner got the idea that the stranger
was spy than they gave information to me,
and l put him under arrest. / saw at a
glance that he was of southern birth. This
was not SO much against him, for at that time
we had plenty of Tennessee and Kentucky
men with US.
"What command do you belong to9" l
| asked.
"The -th Illinois," he replied.
asked what brigade and division, who was
his captain and various other things, and he
returned what seemed to be straight answers
to every question. When l asked who he
had come to visit in the Wisconsin regiment
he was lame He mentioned the name of a
man no one had ever heard Of 1t was on
this point alone that held him. A messen-
ger was at once sent after the Illinois captain
named, and in about an hour he appeared.
The supposed spy was taken to the tent of the
brigade general, and as soon as brought face
to face with the captain he saluted and said:
"Capt. Morton, the people here seem to
think l am q rebel spy"
And who are you?" queried the captain,
plainly astonished.
DO you ask that!" reproachfully inquired
the man. "Who should / be but George
Swift of your own company?"
"You can't be. l never saw you before in
my life"
"Why, Capt. Morton!"
The two men looked at each other as if
doubling their own senses, and the general
asked of Swift:
"How long have you been with his COM
panyl"
"Four months, sir. came down as re.
cruit from Pekin."
"Who is your orderly sergeant!"
"Sergt. White, sir"
"Who are your commissioned oficers?"
"Capt. Morton. First Lieut.. Green, and
Lieut. Davis The latter is home on fur
lough."
"How many men in the company"
"Fifty-eight, sir"
"Wbo are your tent mates?"
"Oscar Jackson, Thomas Parker, and John
Pridgeon."
"Well, captain!' queried the general. as he
turned to Capt. Morton
The captain was clean beat He was dead
sure that no such man belonged to his COM
pany, and yet the suspect had answered every
question as straight as string.
"I'll stake my life that never saw this man
before" the captain finally answered, "and I
know every man in my company by name"
The spy was ordered to strip to his shirt, and
for the first time his GOODNESS seemed to desert
him. He reproached the captain for per-
mitting this indignity, but slowly disrobed.
In one of his boot legs was pocket, and in
this pocket we found a paper bearing figures
as follows: